UN Climate Rapporteur Addresses Student Concerns in Victoria

When did climate change begin?

Which countries are handling climate change the best?

Who created solar power?

Will we still be able to ski in the future?

These were the burning questions from students at Bright P-12 College in north-east Victoria during a visit by Elisa Morgera.

As the UN special rapporteur on climate change, Professor Morgera travels the world as an independent expert on climate-related human rights issues.

She said it was crucial young people had a sense of hope about the future.

"Children are very interested about what we can do about it and how much we can go back or move towards a safer climate," Professor Morgera said.

Professor Morgera told the students that evidence supported a move away from fossil fuels, but that switching to renewables needed to be done without affecting people's human rights.

"What I've been seeing around the world about renewables is that there is a push to do it fast and cut red tape," she said.

"Renewables shouldn't be developed at the expense of anyone's human rights, and there's so much potential for renewables to fulfil the needs that have been left behind by the fossil fuel-based economy.

"So, making sure everyone has equal access to energy, that energy is compatible with agriculture and water protection; we have all the science to do that, but we need good processes where we take the time to talk to everyone."

Tough questions

Professor Morgera was invited to meet some of the students who had participated in a series of University of Melbourne educational videos called Climate Kids.

Lily O'Neill, the video co-producer and a parent at Bright P12 College, said the idea came about when her son had unanswered questions after being evacuated from the Bright area during bushfires.

The series of videos has scientists answering questions put forward by kids.

Dr O'Neill said she was often asked if the students were "put up" to ask specific questions.

"And I say, 'You don't spend very much time with primary school kids', because they ask the best questions," she said.

Research by academics from Australian National University shows 89 per cent of Australian children aged 12 and 13 say climate change is "probably" or "definitely" something we should worry about.

Dr O'Neill said coming together and answering questions empowered children.

"We try and use humour, and we're very hopeful, because we're really mindful we don't want to scare little kids," she said.

Kids have their say

So, what did the students have to say about climate change?

Year 4 student Hazel Pike said she was optimistic something could be done about climate change.

"I feel like we can make a change if society actually puts their mind to it," she said.

"We're causing this climate change to happen, and we need to fix this, and I reckon we can."

Year 6 student Elsie Fenton said climate change was a concern.

"Some people made a whole bunch of mistakes, and now the future generations have to deal with it," she said.

Living at the foot of Victoria's snowfields, 11-year-old Murphy Tripp's worry was about a future without skiing.

"I want to keep on skiing up at our mountain, and yeah, like, I like skiing a lot,"

"It's scary because there's, like, it's basically, like, the bigger countries are the ones who are making all the climate change, like, happen and then the smaller countries are getting hit for it."